By IANS
New Delhi : Google Foundation, the social arm of Internet search engine Google, has donated $3.5 million to the Rotary International to curb polio from India and elsewhere in the world.
Rotary officials said here Thursday the organisation would also raise a similar amount within a year to support polio immunisation activities jointly carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and United Nations’ Children Education Fund.
Deepak Kapur, chairman of the India National PolioPlus Committee of Rotary, appreciated the grant of Google and indicated that most of the funds would be utilised in four polio-endemic countries.
“Though much of the world has eradicated polio, the disease is still crippling children in countries like India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria – the four polio endemic countries,” Kapur said in statement.
India has around 60 percent of the global polio cases. The country reported 844 cases in 2007 as against 676 the previous year.
“The polio battle in India today is just short of the finishing line, and the much needed funds supported by Google.org will further boost the campaign in India and the world to eradicate polio forever,” he added.
Rotary International president Wilfrid Wilkinson said: “This grant comes at a crucial time for the initiative, as more funds are needed to reach children in the most challenging regions of the world.”
Rotary has been working with countries to eradicate polio and contributed $650 million to the eradication efforts so far. India has received $74.3 million (Rs.3.12 billion) grant from the philanthropy.